It’s a year of anniversaries and rebirth in rob mclennan’s little literary empire, with almost every aspect of it set to find some sort of renewal.

First is the “rebuilding year” for Chaudiere Books, the poetry and fiction publishing house founded by mclennan and partner Jennifer Mulligan in 2006. Mulligan has left to pursue other projects, and after a fallow year or two mclennan is starting over with his new partner — and wife — Christine McNair. Already confirmed are new books by Ottawa poets Amanda Earl and Monty Reid.

It’s the 20th anniversary of above/ground press, also founded by mclennan and publisher of more than 700 chapbooks and journals of poetry, he says. An anthology of the second decade, titled Ground Rules, was recently launched at the Manx Pub.

Next up, ottawater, an annual, online journal of work by Ottawa poets, turns 10 this year, with a public launch Jan. 24 at the Carleton Tavern. And the semi-annual Small Press Book Fair that mclennan organizes turns 20 later in 2014, a milestone hit last year by his Factory Reading Series.

Over recent days I’ve talked with mclennan via email, and here’s an edited transcript of our conversation:

Q: What is Chaudiere Books?

A: We are publishers first and foremost of exciting poetry and fiction, but keep a strong eye out for work in our immediate geography. There is so much talent in this town, and without publishing so much of it can simply fall away.

Christine and I putting the press back on track, basically. We’re aiming to announce an Indiegogo campaign, and to announce the (roughly) four titles we’re aiming to publish this year. The Chaudiere podcast most likely launches in the spring, and we’re working on Calgary, Toronto and possibly Montreal spring(ish) launches for the Ground Rules anthology. We’re working to get the press on a proper schedule, and seeing what is possible once we get back to that point.

Q: When’s the fundraising campaign begin?

A: We’re hoping to launch our campaign by the end of the month, and we’ve been collecting cool incentives, including rare (and in some cases, signed) John Newlove, Stephen Brockwell and Stephanie Bolster items, and subscriptions/pre-publication offers on future titles.

Q: Your list of writers in the ottawater anthology includes Sylvia Adams, John Barton, Karen Massey, Tim Mook and more than a dozen others. Will any be reading at the launch on Jan. 24?

A: A number of contributors will be reading for about five minutes each. FYI, ottawater only considers work by writers who have resided in ottawa (and slight consideration for Ottawa region).

Q: How does a small publisher like Chaudiere deal with the rapid change of the digital world?

A: Digital is another tool to be utilized and explored. I want to produce free online chapbooks through Chaudiere, and we’re working on some of that. We’re exploring how to get our works out in digital editions. We survive by paying attention, taking digital seriously and learning how we can adapt.

Currently the website (chaudierebooks.com) doesn’t have Paypal options or anything like that, but that’s just a matter of adding such in. Given that we moved in September and had a baby in November, we’re behind on certain things, but have been working to get some of that stuff in place.

Q: Does the baby write?

A: She has been telling us stories since just before Christmas, but hasn’t yet held anything, let alone put pen to paper. By the by, Christine approved cover stock for the Ground Rules anthology from her hospital bed at the Monfort, during labour.

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